


Happiest Year

by fullbarchie



Category: Archie Comics, Archie Comics & Related Fandoms, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Grief, Oprhan, Suicide, barchie, major death, mention of self-harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:22:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24531499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fullbarchie/pseuds/fullbarchie
Summary: Elizabeth Cooper was an orphan and it was a hard knock life or whatever.
Relationships: Archie Andrews/Betty Cooper
Kudos: 7





	Happiest Year

**Author's Note:**

> might be a one shot could be more

Elizabeth Cooper was an orphan and it was a hard knock life or whatever and life was hard for her and not because her parents suddenly didn’t want her anymore one day that would be hard for any teenager not knowing her parent’s Betty never felt a sense of family and she was okay with that in her experience people leave and she didn’t want to feel that pain ever again so keeping everyone at arm's length what was best for her. 

The ever-changing leaves fell from the tree gracefully as Betty walked to school she held her coat to her the crisp fall air reminding her that summer was long over and she was actually back at school again, Betty's foster parents insist that she goes to Riverdale High with her “siblings'' but spending every day with these spoiled brats who rely on mommy and daddy’s money for their inner value wasn’t her thing. The one thing that made this school even remotely bearable were her friends, Veronica and Jughead. She would be nothing without them; she knows that but she’d never tell them that. “Betts!” Jughead all but screamed out the second I touched down on campus being friends with Veronica and Jughead was easy for her they’re loud and outspoken and I could easily hide in their shadow because that's who I am and I was totally okay with that. Betty Cooper as not one to beg for the spotlight and having friends who no matter what they do sparkle I could easily hide behind their glow and I could easily live the rest of my life not being seen people who are seen get hurt but shadows are untraceable unseen nobody can hurt you when you don’t exist.  
“How was your weekend Betts?” Jughead smiles  
“Uneventful”  
“Thought the weekend was Family day” Veronica mocks  
“Foster Family” I grimace both my friends laugh  
“Well let’s get you to first period then Annie” I punch Jughead in the arm  
Sure the jokes my friends made were funny in a sense I mean I was an orphan but laughing along with my friends to the fact my parents just completely abandoned me wasn’t something I was ready to do without years under therapy under my belt. But I love my friends and I want them to be happy. Other people’s happiness has always meant more to me than my own. Some would say that was a flaw but I didn’t see it that having great friends is a blessing and I don’t ever want to take them for granted and if that meant putting their needs before mine it was a sacrifice I was willing to make because I was lucky to have them in my life. 

By the time that I had reached last period gym my head was pounding and I wanted to out of here at least I had this class with my friends they made it better the class was louder than usual when I got into the room I could see everyone surrounded by what seemed to be a new student and by the way the girls were swooning I could tell he was going to be trouble when the heard finally thinned I could finally get a glimpse of him and I was not disappointed at all his loose red curls fell right above his hazel eyes, I saw him look up and he caught a glimpse of me staring at him I quickly started to focus on anything but his eyes burning a hole into me, psychical education was a complete joke to me it was an excuse for the troglodytes jocks at our school to show off and play animal planet for an hour which I had no interest in watching at all. As if there was a god watching today was deemed worksheet today it’s where our sorry excuse for a teacher pairs us up and makes us read through our boring textbook and fill out the answers like mindless zombies but I wasn’t complaining I wasn’t in the mood to get hit in the face with any balls so mindless zombie work it is. I drown out our teacher as he calls out pairs waiting for him to call my name though he usually forgets and I just end up working with Veronica and Jughead but as I listened on he had paired up Jughead and Veronica but when he called my name he paired me with a person I didn’t know Betty and Archie” I saw everyone pair up and as I looked up it was no other than our new guy on campus.  
“I’m Archie” which makes me roll my eyes  
“Obviously” he nods his head. My sarcasm isn’t for everyone. I don’t mean to come off as a bitch but it’s the way I’m programmed and I can’t help but be this way. 

“Do you want to split the worksheet in half?” I just want to get this over as soon as possible not wanting to spend any more time with this guy then I need to.  
“Let’s work together that way I can get to know you” I nod in agreement but no offense but there is no way that I see myself being friends with this kid.  
“So Betty what’s Riverdale like?”  
“I would rather stick a fork in my eye than be here” he laughs and as I catch his smile I feel my heart flutter and I try to suppress the feeling as soon as it starts because I can’t like him it won’t end well in my experience people leave and the fewer people I have around me the better. But as the class period went on I was finding myself letting my guard down and was actually enjoying spending time with Archie. He made me laugh and I felt like I didn’t have to have my Betty walls up that I built to protect me from the world. When the period came to an end I went to the locker room to change and get ready to finally go home this day had been long but it shaped up to be a good day so I wasn’t complaining, As I left the locker room I saw Veronica talking with Archie she was being her normal self charming and quick witted self there was no way in hell I ever had a chance going against her and I wouldn’t ever think of it her happiness meant the world to me, as I made a beeline for the door I ran into Jughead who had also caught a glimpse of the same sight.  
“They look cozy”  
“Picture perfect” I smile sarcastically  
“Think he’ll go for her?”  
“They usually do” I try to smile but it ends up being too much for me and I wave bye to Jughead and embark on my trip home.  
I wish that I could just tell my friends, that I’m more than just their sidekick and that I’m capable of so much more but that would be selfish and I spend so much of my time trying to be anything but. 

3 months later

Archie has become very close with our group which has only made my feelings for him grow but I see the way Veronica is around him and I know that I have a role to play and that’s staying out of her way and allowing her to pursue him even if it kills me inside it’s just one of the many sacrifices I’m willing to make for my friends. Anyone who spent five minutes with Veronica and Betty could feel their tension but Veronica like always was oblivious to the fact that Betty had any feelings towards anything she just assumed that Betty was only around to make life easier for her, of course, she cared for Betty she was her best friend she considered her a sister but being selfish was just who she was and she couldn’t help it. Veronica had issues of her own and she used money and boys to fill the voids, she was insecure and was constantly angry and didn’t know how to process her emotions rationally, she never had to fear though because Betty would always be there to pick up the pieces.  
“Veronica!” Jughead called out as I was about to step into my car  
“What’s up?” I question even though I know what this is about. I had a complete freak out in gym class after seeing Archie and Betty interact and I couldn’t keep my feelings in check and had a meltdown and I’m completely embarrassed.  
“I just wanted to see if you were okay” He patted my shoulder trying to comfort me  
“ Do you think I’m broken?” he looks like he doesn’t know how to answer the question I just threw at him  
“What of course I don’t” he tries to reassure me that I’m not crazy  
“B is never like this” I point out  
“Well that’s because Betty spends every waking second of her life worrying about other people’s happiness, it’s this new phenomenon called codependency” he makes a joke  
“I just don’t want to be in competition with my best friend” with that Veronica gets in her car and leaves the scene not wanting to stick around a second longer. 

It was never a competition between the two no matter what Veronica would win because Betty would always let her that was one of her flaws not living her own life and letting her best friend define who she was and sooner or later it would have to come to an end because this wasn’t helpful for anyone.

Betty had gone over to Veronicas to finally talk with her and let out years of pent up frustrations if they were going to continue on being friends this is what they needed a clean slate. Betty and Veronica were hanging out in Veronica’s room and you could cut the tension on there with a knife but none of the girls could find the words to speak first so Veronica decides to speak first,  
“Are you mad at me?” Veronica asked looking up from her book  
“I’m not mad at you I’m annoyed” Betty finally spoke  
“Why what did I do, is this about Archie?”  
“No this about be spending every second of my life feeling suffocated by you”  
“ That isn’t my fault and you know it, you’re just as happy as I am to hide in the shadows while I shine”  
“That is not true!”  
“Yes, it is! codependency is a two way street and you’ll never admit you’re just as apart of this cycle as I am”  
“ Well I’m done dealing with your mood swings and tantrums the only way you’ll learn is if I let you fall flat on your face, I’m done spending every day wondering if you’re okay I’m over you”  
“Fine LEAVE!” Betty storms out not even wanting to turn back she would not be apologizing 

Sitting alone at home later Betty finally felt free from the never-ending cycle of being pulled into her dark cloud of drama she was finally free to live her own life and make her own mistakes she’d get to be selfish and live for her and that’s all she ever really wanted was a life of her own and she’d finally be getting in, it’s been so long since she’d been able to breathe and she doesn’t know what took her son long to come to this realization Veronica was toxic a never-ending vortex of emotion she wouldn't let herself get stuck back into it again as much as she loved her she couldn't be her only reason to get better Betty was finally open to the prospect of letting other people in good people will allow her to make mistakes be selfish and not reprimand her for being so, she doesn’t know what the future held but it was hers, Betty finally felt some reprieve and was about to retreat to a normal thursday night at home when her phone lit up with a text from the redhead boy who had opened her eyes to all that she could be.  
Archie  
Pops?  
Betty  
You couldn't keep me away :)


End file.
